Friday, July 29, 2016

July Favorites


Most of my July favorites are things we took with us on our vacation to Cancun earlier this month. We went with Michael's parents and his sister and her husband to an all-inclusive that is part of the timeshare his parents belong to. Most of our time was spent in the pool, and the kids had an absolute blast (so did we!). I always look forward to our family vacations with them - I can't wait to see what next year holds!

We were so excited that Sophia & Carter are finally old enough
to sit together on the plane (which meant we could sit together!)

Most of our time was spent by the pool, so it makes sense that my first favorites are swimsuits and cover ups. I decided that I needed a good one piece, but just because I'm wearing a "mom" swimsuit doesn't mean it can't be cute! These three swimsuits fit the bill perfectly! I don't actually own the one from Anthro yet, but it's so similar to the Ella Moss one I'm planning on checking it out.



Doesn't everyone eat pizza by the pool? ;)

I ordered the Softspun Knit Racerback dress from Gap in several colors and have been living in them this summer! The material is soft and flowy and it's almost like I'm wearing pajamas when I wear them. I don't usually buy bold colors, but decided to order the dress in coral (I also have it in black and blue) and wear it as a swimsuit coverup. I love it because I can throw it on over my swimsuit and go to lunch, the store, etc and not feel self-conscious about being in my swimsuit. It's perfect for the Robin Piccone suit because the neckline is high enough that it doesn't show. I hesitated about ordering the crossback day dress from Anthro since I already had the Gap dresses, but stumbled upon it during a sale and fell in love. The material is buttery soft and lightweight. Love!


For the pool I stuck with my Reef Ginger Drift flip flops, but when we went to dinner I either wore my Sam Edelman Gigi sandals or my Tory Burch Miller sandals. All three are super slim so they're great for packing - they barely take up any room! I also threw in my Nikes just in case I was inspired to work out.



I have really fair skin and am concerned about signs of aging, so I almost always wear a hat when I'm at the pool (except for that one day when I didn't and I ended up with a serious sunburn on my scalp - ouch! And then my head started peeling, not good). While on our trip, I rotated between a large straw sun hat from JCrew and my favorite trucker hat. I love the straw hat, but sometimes it's easier when I'm playing with Sophia and Carter to have a baseball hat on. I love wearing a trucker hat because the back is mesh so I can easily lay back in the water and get my hair wet to cool off.

While cute, the sun hat just doesn't work for "play" -
this was taken right after Michael threw me into the pool!


As far as sunscreen, I did a lot of research before buying sunscreen (did you know that Consumer Reports reviews sunscreen?) and found that the Trader Joe's Nourish Spray Sunscreen SPF 50 was one of the top reviewed so I stocked up on that for the trip. And at $5.99/bottle it's a really good deal! I have to say that the one thing the Trader Joe's sunscreen doesn't have is a good smell (it's more of an alcohol smell), so I picked up some Sun Bum SPF 30 lotion and a lip balm for the yummy smell! I linked the Sun Bum and some of the other top rated sunscreens below.



Since most of our time was spent at the pool, I didn't wear much makeup. However, I did wear my Clinique Acne Solutions BB Cream (SPF 40) and my Maybelline Colossal Waterproof Mascara everyday. At night I'd do a simple eyeshadow look and add some blush and eyeliner and I was good to go.



It took me awhile, but I finally gave up on doing my hair and trying to keep it dry when at the pool (it never works!). Instead, I wash my hair and then smooth on the Biosilk Original Serum before french braiding it around my head and finishing with a low messy side bun. It's an easy and worry free hairstyle.



I finally found a shampoo and conditioner bundle that almost compares to the test bundle I tried. I started using the It's a 10 bundle after we got back from Cancun and so far I love it! Definitely worth trying if you're looking for a new bundle!


That's about it for this month!

XOXO,


Thursday, July 28, 2016

Kate Spade Surprise Sale

The Kate Spade Surprise Sale is another sale that you can't miss! The prices are amazing! I've rounded up some of my favorites from the sale in this post. 


I ordered this Mikas Pond Lacey a few months ago during another surprise sale, and I have to say that it's probably my favorite wallet! It's got plenty of card slots, space for bills, a zippered coin pouch in the center, and comes in a bunch of fun colors! And at over half off, it's hard to pass up! Sadly, my Charm Heels aren't a part of the sale, but they're so pretty!

I love my Mikas Pond Lacey for everyday (sometimes I just use that and skip the purse), but I needed something a little smaller just to hold my license and some cash for when I go out at night or am traveling. The Newbury Lane Large Holly is perfect for that!

If I hadn't just spent a boatload of money at the #NSale I'd probably pick up one of these cute totes, but I need to curb the shopping for awhile. That doesn't mean that you can't buy!

If you're looking for a large divided tote, definitely look at the Grand Street Gabriel. I love the color!


The Make a Splash Rey one just makes me want to jump on a plane and head to the beach!


If you love the blue stripes, but aren't sure you want quite that large of a bag, or you want to buy the whole collection, check these out!
Make a Splash Mindy
Make a Splash Neda
Make a Splash Luggage Tag

Every woman needs a basic black purse in her closet, and this Southport Avenue Cathy is the perfect choice!

I ended up returning the Tory Burch mini leather crossbody I ordered from the #NSale. It was cute, but I am not a huge fan of crossbodies (correction: my husband is not a fan) and it was a little more than I wanted to spend on a purse I wouldn't use that often (though if Michael wants to buy me a Chanel Boy Bag I won't complain). If I was going to order one from the sale, I'd definitely get the Astor Court Cynthia.


There are over 100 items featured in the sale, so even if you don't like anything I posted here, definitely check it out! Happy Shopping!

XOXO,



Friday, July 22, 2016

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Part 2

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale officially started today, so I thought I'd share some more favorites!


Tops


I realized that I left out a very important category in yesterday's post. You can't go running around topless, so here are some cute options.


A must with any outfit is a good fitting bra! If possible, go to Nordstrom today and have one of their bra fitters measure you. This is a must do! Even if you've been measured in the past at Victoria's Secret, you still need to have it done at Nordstrom! I was measured once at VS....they told me I was a 32B. After the shock wore off at how inaccurate her measurements were, I asked her to get me a 32B so I could show her how wrong she was. Let's just say I was busting out of it and leave it at that. After that I decided to go to Nordstrom and get fitted there. You definitely have to check your modesty at the door because not only do they measure you (with your current bra on), but they come in the fitting room after you try on each bra to determine what fits best. They bring you several options, and keep them coming until they find the perfect fit. For me that was the Le Mystere Dream Tisha Underwire T-Shirt Bra which is on part of the #NSale! It's usually $69 and is on sale for $45.90 during the sale! If you are a bigger busted girl, this is the perfect bra for you! It's comfortable and, even though it's a full-coverage bra, it's still attractive on. I think that it may have even been one of Oprah's Favorite Things! 

Le Mystere Dream Tisha

Shoes


I shared some options for boots and athletic shoes in my first post, but I forgot to include flats and heels. I love my Tory Burch ballet flats and now they have a pair named after me! And they're on sale! It's like it's meant to be! :)



Men's Sale


Don't forget about the men in your life when shopping!


Home


There are a lot of fun and unique home decor items included in the sale as well, so definitely check them out!


I went ahead and ordered the Clarisonic before it sold out. I'm still on the fence about whether I need it or not, but one of the things I love about Nordstrom is that they make returns so easy - if you don't absolutely love it, you just fill out the return slip and send it back for free! What are you ordering from the #NSale?

XOXO,
Thursday, July 21, 2016

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is one of my favorite sales of the year because you can find brand new items on sale! This is the perfect time to stock up for fall and winter! The sale begins July 22nd and lasts through August 7th, so plan on checking it out. I promise that you won't be disappointed!

I've ordered a few things which are included below, but just for fun I thought I'd share some suggestions with you!

Jeans


During the cooler months I live in my jeans, and a great pair of jeans can last years, so I feel like I can justify spending a little more on them. Here are some of my favorites from the sale.



Dresses 


 You can't go wrong with a flirty dress. Here are some steals from the sale.



Boots


I don't know about you, but I live in my skinny jeans and boots in the fall/winter, so any time I can find a great pair of boots on sale I'm all over it! Here are some of my favorites from the sale.



Athletic Shoes


When I'm not wearing boots, I'm usually in my sneakers. I used to call every pair of sneakers "tennis shoes," but after marrying a man who played tennis in high school I learned that you only call them tennis shoes if you wear them to play tennis. Well, technically every pair of athletic shoes I've ever owned has been worn to play tennis, so I guess it's okay for me to call them that. ;) Anyhow, I digress. Here are some of my favorites from the sale. I'm debating whether or not I should order a pair because I already have three.....




Handbags & Accessories


A great handbag and some cute accessories can really take your outfit up a notch, and there are some great options in the #NSale.

Beauty 


This is a great time to pick up a new fragrance or beauty products. Many of my favorites are featured in the sale! There are some things that I've been wanting to try that are featured in the sale. The first is the Clarisonic. I've been pretty blessed with good skin, though I do have small acne flareups every once in awhile. I'm 37....when will they stop?! I may not be worried about acne, but I am worried about signs of aging, and I'm wondering if a Clarisonic would help. If you have one, please comment below and tell me what you think about it! I'd also love to try either the Beachwaver or the Drybar 'Beach in a Box.' I have a NuMe hair wand with several different attachments, but I've never really been able to make it work for my hair, so I'm not sure it's the right tool for me. Several of my friends and I had a hair party a little over a year ago - I'm thinking we need to have another one so I can learn how to use my hair wand (or I could just buy the Beachwaver or Drybar Collection). 


Do you have your eye on anything in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale? I've already ordered a few things, but after writing this post I'm thinking I may need to place another order! I'll post an update when the items I already ordered arrive!

XOXO,